CANINE OBSTETRIC Y. 
83 
conceived would be useful. Mr. Perry, to whom I applied, had a 
human crotchet in his shop, and this he consented to alter accord- 
ing to my directions. I stayed till the alterations were completed, 
and by eleven at night reached home, to put the adaptation of the 
crotchet to the test. It answered beyond my utmost expectation, 
and I was enabled to bring away the whole of the contents of the 
womb with comparative ease. Four pups were extracted ; and 
while I compared them with the little animal from which they had 
been removed, it required the evidence of my senses to convince 
me that the disproportioned mass had been forced through the nar- 
row passage of the Italian greyhound’s vagina. The pups were 
all dead. Each bore the well-marked character of the Russian, 
and by their size indicated their sire ; nor was that size decreased 
by their having been retained a week beyond their usual period. 
So far my labour was accomplished; but the appearance of the 
bitch indicated that all had been done to little purpose. The pulse 
began to decrease in number, and, nevertheless, continued hard 
and jerking — the eyes became fixed — the jaw closed — the head 
pendulous, and all the symptoms of approaching death were ex- 
hibited. I tried to support the system; but the poor animal died 
in spite of every attention, and the examination after death shewed 
the womb to be intensely inflamed. 
It was with some anxiety that I looked for injuries and abra- 
sions, scarcely deeming it possible the violence I had necessarily 
employed had not lacerated the delicate structure with which the 
instrument had been in contact. Not a mark which I could attri- 
bute to the crotchet was to be discovered. I have seen fearful 
wounds made by the forceps used to deliver the bitch ; but here, 
in the most desperate case of the kind which I had ever under- 
taken, was not a scratch or a bruise to be detected. 
I have since confirmed the indications of utility which were 
given by the crotchet on the first occasion of its employment ; and 
had I not received such proofs in its favour as appeared to be con- 
clusive, I should, perhaps, on the results of a few cases only, have 
hesitated to introduce it to general notice. Besides the instances 
before alluded to, I have employed the instrument on four occa- 
sions — three times in my own practice, and once at the request of 
a practitioner whose name it is desired I should conceal. Two of 
the cases were successful, so far as the bitches were concerned ; 
one, which was evidently sinking when brought to me, was de- 
livered of a pup in a decomposed state, and died five hours after- 
wards, the post-mortem displaying acute peritonitis ; the other, 
which I attended to yesterday, was alive when I last saw it ; but 
I am of opinion its hours are numbered. The pulse is hard, but 
not quick— the animal restless, and the eye dull : worse symptoms 
